Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86: Star Trek and X-Men icon passes away following battle with dementia

Los Angeles: Actor Patrick Stewart, widely celebrated for his iconic portrayals of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise, has died at the age of 86.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart passed away Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following "a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia," longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak announced.

"He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all," Bush Novak stated. "We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace".

In the late 1980s, Stewart brought decades of classical British theatre experience to North America, where he was largely unknown prior to assuming command of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, to Alfred and Gladys Stewart, he was raised by a father who worked as a semi-skilled labourer and served as a Second World War veteran evacuated from Dunkirk.

Renowned for bringing Captain Jean-Luc Picard to life across the Star Trek universe and embodying Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men series, Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for his distinguished services to drama.

He will feature posthumously in the upcoming Marvel Studios action production Avengers: Doomsday, reprising his role as Professor Charles Xavier. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on December 17 in India and December 18 in the United States.

ANI